Count Down
by bruisesxbitemarx
Summary: Seven very different kids find themselves in the middle of a Zombie apocolypse. They think its the worst thing that could happen to them...but is it? original surviors from L4D are in it along with the special infected
1. Chapter 1

The day the Mayan calendar stops, is the day that zombies attack the world. Seven kids are going about their business on an average night. their lives and relationships are about to change for the worst….or maybe not. (Left for dead original survivors will be in this story along with the special infected)

Characters:

Gavin: 6'0, 12th grade, 18 years old, light brown hair, blue eyes, skinny but muscular, totally smart, loves history and science (nerdy much?), editor and chief of SD Pride Private School, sort of a loner, loves his younger brother Gaspar, and kind of (in denial) likes Ekko.

Gaspar: 5'7, 9th grade, 14 years old, looks a lot like his brother Gavin, skinny, on the track/swim team, cheerful, positive, outgoing, easy to get along with, loves Gavin and wants to make him happy and proud.

Ryker: 6'3, 12th grade,17 years old, blond hair, green eyes, very toned and muscular, captain of the lacrosse team, pretty much every girls dream guy, nice for the most part, agreeable.

Ekko: 5'5, 11th grade, 17, brown hair, brown eyes, slender (curvy in the right places), loves music and literature, works with Gavin on the school newspaper, shy, quiet, also a bit of a loner, really likes Gavin, will do anything to protect her little brother Zaki.

Zaki: 3'11, kindergarten, 6 years old, brown hair, green eyes, still has baby fat, loves to play and do stuff just like any normal little boy

Isolde: 5'6, 12th grade, 17, blonde hair, brown eyes, skinny, really beautiful, one the school dance team, one of the popular girls, ditzy, but nice, has compassionate spirit.

Leanna: 5'6, 12th grade, 18, bright red (dyed) hair, blue eyes, sexy figure with unhidden curves, pretty much a slut, Ryker hates her because she broke his heart in 9th grade, works on the newspaper with Ekko and Gavin, mostly just concerned with herself and what she likes and doesn't.

Ekko's POV

It was an average Friday night. The three of us newspaper staff all hard at work to finish up Pride Private Schools latest edition. Gavin typing away furiously on his lap top and Leanna absentmindedly doodling hearts and bad words on a paper. And then me, interviewing Pride Private Schools top athletes, Ryker and Isolde.

"Ryker" I said in my most sincere voice, "what were you doing when you heard the news of Raven's accident?" I held out the outdated tape recorder.

"Well Ekko" Ryker started, his eyes beginning to water. "I was sleeping, but throughout the night I had this strange feeling. You know, like something wasn't right". I nodded.

"And you Isolde, what were you doing at the moment?" I asked. I felt bad for digging into their wounds, but the principle felt it necessary to have Raven's accident immortalized in print to prevent teen drinking.

Isolde was already bawling her eyes out, using the nearby box of Kleenex.

"I was just talking on the phone, and I had call waiting. So I answered it, and it was Raven's mom who told me the news…" Isolde stopped talking and burying her face in her hands. Ryker put one hand on her shoulder and covered his face with the other. I figured it was time for a break.

Ryker's girlfriend (and Isoldes best friend) Raven, had been killed on Sunday night. As innocent as she looked, she had a habit of partying. That night, it got the best of her. It left her boyfriend and best friend heartbroken.

I put the tape recorder down and looked over to my left. Gavins little brother Gaspar was teaching my little brother Zaki, how to play war with a deck of cards while they waited for us to finish up.

"Ha-ha! I got an ace! That beats your three!" yelled Zaki excitedly.

"Nooo" chided Gaspar softly. "An ace goes after a king in this ga-"

A harsh pounding on the door interrupted him: "HURRY UP IN THERE! I HAVE TO LOCK UP BEFORE NINE PM AND IT'S ALREADY 8:30!" the janitor yelled at us through the locked door. Gavin's head snapped up from his work. He cleared his throat

"If you have a problem with us working here, you may call principle Dunn. We have his permission to be here and we are not anywhere near done" the janitor's pounding stopped and we could hear him walk off saying something about how kids are stupid and how he needed a new job. Gavin rolled his eyes and went back to his Olympic speed typing.

"Im impressed Gav" swooned Leanna from her chair. "You have a powerful voice". Gavin made a face and looked at her.

"Leanna I am going to make this clear, once and for all. Im not going to sleep with you. Ever. Not at all. Girls like you make me cringe. If you're that desperate for a hook up, go find Janitor jerk off!"

"You'll change your mind eventually" Leanna smiled. As if he said nothing to her. "They always do". Gavin bit the inside of his cheek like he always did to keep from saying more. I studied him a bit more. The perfect slope of his nose, his fast growing hair curling just above the nape of his neck. His broad shoulders hunched over the computer screen. Gavins perfect and beautiful being just a shell of his inner fire……

"Ekko! Pssst!" my ogling interrupted by Leanna. I looked over to her note she had passed to me. It read: "Ekko,Stop it idiot! He's mine. You don't stand a chance against me. If you even come near him….."

I looked up at her and she made a throat slitting gesture. Ugh! I hated her! Just because she knew all the little tricks and moves and she was super hot didn't give her the right to claim just any guy. Leanna turned her attention back to Gavin.

Gavin had only let her on the staff because she was the only one in the school who had enough guts to ruin other people's lives. Gossip columnist. Why we had one, I don't know. Principle Dunn was crazy.

"Let's play a new game! Go fish!" yelled Zaki excitedly. He messed up the neat stack of war Gaspar had set up. Gaspar sighed softly, but smiled again.

"Okay Zaki, lets play".

"Gaspar, don't worry about him, I can watch him" I said." C'mon Zaki, why don't you let Gaspar finish some homework. You can color"

"Don't worry Ekko, I can play with him. Its kind of fun" Gaspar said. He was so gentle, so sweet, and open to the world. So unlike his brother.

Gavin looked up from his typing "Gaspar, you're done with your homework right?"

"Almost, just a couple math problems I can't figure out. Can you help me?"

"Sure thing. Lemme see" Gavin set down his computer and cleared some stuff for Gaspar to sit next to him. I sighed and started to get something for Zaki to draw on…

Gavin's POV

Gaspar sat next to me and brought his textbook. "Number five"

"mmkay" I said looking it over. Math was one of those things that came easy to me. Unlike lots of other things like how people could trust each other....or parents. "So you have to combine 12 and 8" I explained.

"Why, I don't get it. Why is that negative now?" Gaspar said. He didn't understand math very well. He was the type to understand parents and trusting people. Gaspar: kind and pure hearted and lovable. He would be the one to get married and have a family. Something I could never emotionally do. But as long as Gaspar could, I didn't care. If he was happy, I was happy.

I explained the rest of the problem, and went back to my computer.

Not really

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Ekko combing a tangle out of her hair with her fingers. Her beautiful fingers and her beautiful hair. If there were any girl in the world that I could live the dream life with, it would be her. Guys didn't pay much attention to her. She didn't fit their criteria of "hot". Like the blond hair, blue eyes, tall long legged, balloon chested, short skirt wearing, stupid bimbo who could open a door. My idea of hot was always a smart girl, with a sweet face, kind hearted, and some glasses maybe. Somebody who wasn't into everything material. She was amazing. But I couldn't let it happen. I couldn't be in a relationship, and Ekko deserved one.

"What are you working on Gavin?" I jumped, struggling to pull up my window on the computer to resume my typing. "Uhummm uh just a little something about that weird epidemic on the East coast. Theories about it reaching SanDiego "I mumbled. Crap.

"Nobody cares about that stuff Gav" sniffed Leanna picking up her purse.

I snapped.

"You know, If I wanted to sleep with me, I would be such a-"

"Gavin!" Ekko shouted. She pointed to Zaki ,who looked at me, curiously anticipating my next work. Leanna chuckled.

"Well im going to the bathroom" and she was gone.

"She's going to care if it hits SanDiego" I heard myself growl. Ryker and Isolde looked up from their sorrowful positions.

"What is it?" asked Ryker as he cleared his throat.

"Not sure. It's all quarantined over there, so nobody has much information on it. All I know is that it's called green somthing….I think. It's some sort of virus. It causes violence and insanity, complete dysfunction of the brain, and apparently there is no known cure. If it hits you, you're a goner".

Ekko looked up at this. "Wow, that sounds aweful. So it's highly contagious then for it to be quarantined. How is it passed on? Is it airborne?"

"No idea" I muttered, shutting her off. She went back to Ryker and Isolde. I felt bad for doing that, but I had to. No attachments. I wasn't stupid, I knew she liked me, but I just couldn't…..

"HELP! OPEN THE DOOR!!!"

All of us nearly peed our pants. I pushed my computer to the desk quickly and ran to the door. I opened it to let in a frantic Leanna. I didn't really like this girl, but something about her panic was scaring me.

"Leanna! What happened?" I shouted, grabbing her by her shoulders.

"Quick! Shut the door! Lock it!" she shrieked. Ryker dashed to the other side of the room and locked the door. Leanna was shaking and her skin was a pale white. "Janitor Jerk off! He was chasing me!"

This pissed me off.

"Leanna, that's the kind of behavior your receive from guys when you're a slut" I yelled. She actually looked hurt.

"NOO not that kind of chasing! Like he was gonna kill me chasing! He had blood on his hands and face Gavin!" Leanna started to sob. I felt bad because that did sound terrifying, but she could have been making it up for attention.

"Im going to take a look around. Okay?" I said reassuringly. I started to look for something to use as a weapon.

"Noooooooo!" screamed Leanna. "Don't go out there!"

"Ill go with you" said Ryker composing himself. He grabbed his lacrosse stick and tossed me a spare. Right when I reached for the door handle, I heard the first sounds of the horrifying months to come………..

End of chapter one.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"flarghghghghg!" said whatever was on the other side of the door. It pounded harshly against the door, trying to find a way in.

"Its him" whispered Leanna, scooting away from the door on her knees.

"Ekko…." Isolde came over to me and grabbed my hand. We stood close behind Leanna, and Zaki hid behind me, clinging to my uniform skirt for deal life.

"Gaspar, get back!" ordered Gavin. He and Ryker readied their lacrosse sticks. He mouthed "one, two, three". On three, Ryker swung open the door to reveal a horrifying yet humorous sight.

the Janitor stood in the open doorway covered in blood, eyes rolled back so they only revealed the whites, pretty much every horror movie's stereotypical zombie. Everyone stood still for a moment until Zaki screamed.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

A split second after he opened his mouth, the janitor charged for us. It was so strange. He jumped with his teeth bared like he wanted to eat us. The janitor was only a couple inches from us when Ryker hit the back of its head with the lacrosse stick. He didn't fall or stumble, just turned toward Ryker and charged for him instead.

"Whats wrong with you!!!" screamed Ryker, taking another swing at his face. The janitor fell to the floor.

"Is he dead?" Isolde asked, her hand trembling in mine. Leanna had fainted, and Zaki was crying. Gaspar picked him up and covered the little boy's eyes.

"What happened to him?" I asked. Ryker cautiously approached the janitor and knelt beside him, checking his pulse and for breath.

"Yeah, oh wow….i think he's-"

"RAAAAAAHHH!"

The janitor reached up and grabbed Ryker by the neck.

"What the-" Ryker struggled to keep away from him but he seemed to have him locked in. The old man was about to bite his face until Gavin jabbed a pen through his neck. The infected man loosened his grip and went limp to the floor.

"Oh my Gosh…..I just killed somebody!" Gavin barely whispered. He looked up at the six of us. "We have to get out of here. Right now….."

"Yeah lets go!" I croaked. I noticed I had been sobbing and my fingers were trembling. Isolde tightened her grip on my hand.

"C'mon guys, lets all get in my van, it seats seven" Gavin said, his voice making it clear that he was in charge from now on. Ryker reached for his duffle bag full of sports equipment. "What else do you have in there?"

"uh…padding, a baseball bat, two baseballs, and I think a tennis racket"

"Pass em' out, I'll carry her with my other arm. Guys, we gotta get to the car fast". He picked up Leanna's unconscious body and slung her over his shoulder. The rest of us took a piece of sports equipment. Ryker switched to the baseball bat, Isolde took the tennis racket, leaving Gavin and I with the two lacrosse sticks. Gaspar held Zaki close so he could block out any sights or sounds.

He whispered: "Hey Zaki, everything is going to be okay, but you have to stop crying, alright?" Zaki stopped and burrowed into Gaspar's shoulder.

"Okay guys, on three, we are going to open the door and sprint to the parking lot. My van is the big Gold chevy LT." Gavin said.

"I know that was weird dude, but I mean, why are you so anxious to get out of here? Shouldn't we stay here and call the cops?" said Ryker taking out his cell phone.

Gavin sighed. "I think the virus hit SanDiego while we were locked up in this room for 6 straight hours." We all looked at him like he was crazy for a minute. Six hours? Impossible….but we had all see the threats on TV, heard the warnings on the radio. But nobody knew what the sickness was, so everything just went on like normal.

"Why do you think it all of the sudden took over the city?" I asked.

Gavin held his finger to his lips: "Listen"

I did. "I don't hear anything"

"Exactly. This school is right next to a freeway on top of a hill. There is no sound of rushing traffic anywhere around us. It is dead silent out there." We all listened to the bone chilling silence. I hated silence. In order for me to sleep or do anything, there always had to be some sort of white noise going on.

"I don't know about you guys, but I want to get out of here" said Isolde. "C'mon Ekko" she started pulling me to the door.

"Wait! we all have to stick together!" I pulled her back. "Lets go guys."

"Ekko! We cant just walk out there with no plan!" said Ryker. "We need a strategy"

"Ryker, this isn't football practice. This isn't even for sure. This could be and infected individual" I said confidently. They all started at me, then to the bleeding, dead man sprawled on the floor.

"Ah yes Ekko, and where do you think he got it? it was only a couple minutes from when he first knocked until this…." Gavin snapped at me. He could be such a jerk sometimes. Probably just to scare me off. I gave him a hurt look and shut my mouth. Gavin looked away. "Whats your plan Ryker?"

"I say we sprint to the parking lot and smash anything….or anyone…..that gets in our way. Then we get to the nearest police station." Gavin looked like he was thinking of a better plan, then gave up.

He really could be a total douche sometimes. Well, most of the time actually. I couldn't blame him though. What he was going through would have made anyone bitter. In 9th grade, Gavin and Gaspar's father died in a freak drunk driving accident. This left their mother completely depressed. She wouldn't get out of bed, drive the boys to school, cook, clean, help them with things, be a mother. Gavin was left to care for the house, their mother, and Gaspar. His goal now was to get good grades, get a sweet scholarship to a great school, get a good job (hopefully in Medicine) and be able to take care of what was left of his family. I guess through all the anger and bitterness that surrounded him, that was why I liked him. Of course, when the tragedy hit, mostly everyone's sympathy was turned to Gaspar. Popular, sweet Gaspar. Gavin lost his friends and became what you can call truly alone after that day.

"Okay, lets go then" said Gavin. He steadied his hold on Leanna, then began running like a mad man towards the school parking lot. Gaspar followed him with Zaki in his arms, then Isolde and I, and we were followed by Ryker ready to defend with his bat. We were only a couple of buildings away, making it easy to get to the van.

"Amost there!" yelled Gaspar.

We slammed against the giant van and threw open the doors. Gavin tossed Leanna into the back seat with Zaki and Gaspar. Isolde and I took the two middle seats with Ryker riding shotgun, and Gavin driving. We all looked at each other, relieved and sheepish.

"Haha, guys we probably overreacted" Ryker laughed nervously. Isolde didn't look convinced.

"Hahaha, yeah lets just get to a police station and tell them what happened with the old man" said Gavin, visibly less stressed. He started the engine and checked the mirrors when we heard a rumbling like a stampede accompanied with random horn sounds and drum beats.

"WTF?" said Ryker. I looked into the rearview mirror, then turned around.

"Oh. My. God"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Gavin's POV

I turned to see what Ekko was gawking at.

It looked like Pride High's entire marching band had been attacked with the virus during evening practice, and now were coming after the van. Their Blue and Gold uniforms were covered in blood and their instruments were still awkwardly attached to their bodies.

"Oh my God! Hit the gas! NOW!!! Drive, Drive, DRIVE!!!" screamed Isolde from her middle row seat. I hit the gas with force and the van screeched off. The sudden movement caused us all to slam into the seat in front of us.

"OW!" yelled Leanna, waking from her previous state. "What happened?"

"You passed out and now were being chased by zombie freaks!" screamed Ryker, almost accusingly.

The "zombies" were getting closer and closer. A couple ran so fast like their life depended on it.

"Hey guys, they are getting closer…" said Gaspar worriedly.

I almost had us out of the parking lot when one of the faster zombies grabbed onto the back bumper. Everyone screamed. The zombie looking into the back window and screeched before jumping.

"Did he fall off?" asked Zaki through tears. Before we could answer, a thud dented the top of the van and another screech was heard. Another two jumping zombies latched onto the back. All screeching like big, angry monkeys.

"Try to shake them off Gavin!!!!" screamed Ekko

"I'm trying!" I yelled back. I swerved left then right then left again. The zombies didn't budge, their claws only dug deeper into the metal of the van.

"TRY HARDER!" yelled Ryker. He grabbed the wheel away and made a sharp 360. It shook off the two from the back door, but the one on top remained steady. He did another donut before he announced "HOLD MY FEET!"

Ekko grabbed his legs and I took back the steering wheel. Ryker climbed out the window with his bat and started swinging at whatever was on top.

"OH MY GAWD!!! ARE YOU CRAZY?!?!?!" screamed Isolde. She started to pull Ryker inside again.

"YOU WANT SOME OF THIS YOU MOTHERFU-"

He was cut off by a long tongue like appendage around his neck. About 15 feet away was a bloody cheerleader constricting Ryker with her mutated tongue. His adrenaline must have kicked in, because he grabbed the tongue and ripped it apart, throwing the part around his neck to the ground. He took another swing at the rooftop creature and it bounced off the hood of the car, to the ground.

"Holy crap Ryker…." I said, amazed at the situation he had just overcome. We all stared with open mouths.

I had forgotten to pay attention to the road, until I heard more growls like the janitor's. I looked ahead to the marching band stampeding towards the van.

"Everyone hold on" I hit the gas and charged through the crowd, trying not to think about the speed bumps we were going over.

"What is that thing?" asked Ekko, pointing ahead. A very very fat zombie was a foot away from the car. On impact, the thing exploded into a bomb of green goo. Some of it spilled through Ryker's open window.

"OMG! THAT'S SO NASTY!!!" yelled Ryker trying to wipe green jelly like substance from his face and shirt. It was nasty, it smelled like vomit mixed with Jell-O.

"EWWW!" Zaki said, making his own pile of vomit on the backseat. I decided to think about that later and concentrate on a way out.

"Ryker, does the football field have a gateway exit to the main road?" I asked.

"Yeah it does! Go go go!" he pointed the way there.

I drove the van onto the Astroturf causing black rocks to spray everywhere.

"Oh great, what's that thing?" asked Leanna pointing towards a giant skin colored rock.

"Crap" I sighed. The giant rock thing got up on legs and appeared to be wearing a football helmet. Rykers mouth dropped open when he saw the number painted on it.

"Hey that's Danny. He's one of our best players" said Ryker almost sounding joyful.

"He **WAS**" said Isolde. The giant zombie came crashing after the van, followed by other huge rock things. Apparently, the football team had been infected with the virus too, and they had all been turned into GIGANTIC super zombies.

"Gavin just get off of the football field and onto the highway" Ekko said quietly. I floored the pedal and we went speeding for the exit. The giant things were giving up on us and the gate had already been broken down, giving us an easy out.

"Were gonna make it!" we all rejoiced.

As we got closer to the gate, a woman was sitting in the way, and appeared to be crying. Her office suit seemed to be extremely tattered and her fair hair was pasted to her face with blood.

"Is that Vice Principal Myrick?" asked Gaspar. "She looks hurt"

"Maybe we should go out to her and get her in the van" said Isolde.

"Hold up now, she could be infected too" I said.

"Are you kidding? Gavin, this really isn't a time to be selfish" said Ekko. She crossed her arms and said "I'm going out there to help her." She got out of her seat and opened the side door.

"Wait! Close it! I'll honk the horn. And if she's not infected, she will hear it and get in. right?" I offered. Ekko nodded. With hands shaking, I gave three solid honks.

The VP looked up, and we saw her yellow glowing eyes. I turned to Ekko "SEE!" Ekko only looked hurt. "Well I'm so friggen sorry for caring"

Myrick got up from her sobbing position and screamed to the sky with a volume and pitch so blood curdling, that we all covered our ears. She then jumped to the hood of the car and started scratching up the windshield with what appeared to be her mutated hands.

Ryker leaned out the window again and hit her head, popping it like a balloon. It exploded in a mess of pink and red. The body rolled off the car and I were on our way again.

"To the freeway?" I asked, dazed by the sights we had just seen in the last 5 minutes or so.

"To the freeway" the rest of the van agreed, all in the same trance.


End file.
